Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Ella stood and began pacing the kitchen. “First, you should have called me.”
Erin exhaled long and hard, having expected this. “You were on a cruise. You’d just gone through a hellish year, and you deserved the time away with Dad. Besides, you’re here now.”
“And not a minute too soon. You need your mother.” Ella held out her arms, and Erin gratefully went back into her mom’s embrace. Her familiar scent eased the anxiety Erin had been living with for so long.
“Now, tell me what’s going on with you and Cole Sanders.”
Erin’s face heated at the mention of Cole’s name, while her body still reacted to the mere thought of him.
“I see,” Ella said thoughtfully.
Knowing her mother, she probably did. “He said he can’t make promises for the future beyond him taking care of both me and the baby. We haven’t defined anything, but I’m guessing that’s financial. And he’ll want to see his child when he’s home between jobs.” Erin crossed her arms in a comforting self-supplied hug.
Ella made a humming sound while she pursed her lips in thought. “It’s more than Rex gave me,” Ella said, speaking of Mike’s biological father.
Erin swallowed hard. “The thing is, his actions are so opposite from his words. He’s decided he’s in charge of everything, beyond the bodyguard thing. He cooks meals. He makes sure the fridge is stocked and that I eat well. He was insulted I didn’t ask him to come to my monthly doctor’s appointment and insisted he’d be there for the rest of them. And he had a jealous fit when Evan Carmichael reminded me about the event that we’re supposed to attend together on Saturday night.”
Her mother’s eyes opened wide. “Not the actions of a disinterested man.”
Erin shook her head. “He holds himself back from me emotionally. And he’s definitely scarred by how Jed treated him growing up. How he still treats him. My God, Mom, it was awful.” And she was pretty sure Cole hadn’t been in touch with Jed since he’d moved in with her.
With a sigh, her mother lowered herself back into her seat. “Jed’s a hard man. Very set in his beliefs and in his ways.” She shook her head. “He had little patience for a child, let alone an independent one with a mind of his own like Cole was. They butted heads so often I wasn’t surprised Cole went out looking for trouble when he was younger.”
“That’s so sad.” She couldn’t imagine growing up without a loving father. “I guess I was too young to realize how bad things were.”
“As deputy police chief, Jed was loyal and good to your father, and our friendship stemmed from there. We tried to tell him the damage he was doing in his private life, but he didn’t listen. To be honest, I was glad when Olivia took Cole and left Serendipity. But I didn’t realize how much he’d already hurt Cole by then.” Ella paused. “Does Jed know about the baby?”
Erin shook her head. “I’m sure Cole’s avoiding that conversation until the last possible moment. He doesn’t need to hear what a crappy father he’ll make from the man who still makes digs every chance he gets.”
Her mother’s face showed her disappointment. “I’ll have your father talk to him.”
“No. We should all mind our own business and let Cole deal with Jed. Speaking of fathers, I think Mike and Sam might be telling Dad everything.” Erin placed her hand over her belly.
“We’re not going to judge you, honey. Especially not me. That would be like the pot calling the kettle black. I just want to know if you’re happy.”
Erin looked into her mother’s wise eyes. “I was shocked. Now I’m scared. I’m excited too.” She drew a deep breath. “I’m on my way to being happy, but . . .”
“What is it?” her mother asked.
“Cole. I want to try to see if anything that’s between us can be real. So far it’s just pieces of a relationship that he’s unwilling to string together into something that makes sense. It’s like, I can feel how right we could be, and then bam, it’s gone.” Erin’s chest squeezed tight.
“I’m sure he’s scared, just like you are.”
“I know. But it’s more than that. He’s alluded to the fact that someone like me deserves better. More than he can give. But nobody could treat me better than he does, and that’s without emotional commitment or involvement.”
“Oh, honey, you’re in love with him?” Ella asked.
Erin sniffed, her throat full. “I can’t know that yet, but I think I could be.” If he opened himself more. If he could accept that he was meant to share in life, not just live undercover. “But I’m afraid he’ll never give us a chance.”
“Honey . . .”
Before Ella could finish, Mike strode into the room. “Sorry. I couldn’t help overhearing. I came to see if you were ready to join us yet.”